Ironhead Oil Cooler installation on an early Ironhead

[Piemonte]

See the attached PDF for complete details including photos

OIL COOLER INSTALLATION ON AN EARLY IRONHEAD (1960 XLH)

After reading the informative Donny’s Unauthorised Technical Guide to Harley-Davidson (Volume 6, The Ironhead Sportster 1957 to 1985), and enduring the second hottest summer on record in southern Australia, in March 2020 I decided to install an oil cooler on my 1960 XLH. Donny states, “I am a firm believer in their use in hot climates since they lower oil temperatures and thus oxidation rates.”

I purchased the highly recommended Jagg kit (model 1200) which included almost everything necessary. Marv Beals from Setrab (Jagg Oil Coolers) adjusted the kit inventory as the oil filter adapter was not required due to the absence of a front-mount spin-on oil filter on these early Sportsters. As the instructions stated, ‘certain bike models may require the use of additional accessories.’ An early Sportster clearly falls into this category. I sourced locally a pair of 90-degree fittings specific to this task, as well as a pair of oil line separators to keep the new oil lines clear of the hottest parts of the engine (header pipes).

Oil cooler mounting
Instructions stated, ‘ensure oil cooler is mounted at a 90-degree orientation (straight out) from the bike to allow clear airflow’. Due to partial obstruction from the OEM crash bars and the voltage regulator, the cooler was mounted at approximately 70 degrees. There’s still plenty of direct airflow to the cooler without impeding airflow to the front cylinder.

Oil lines
I removed:
• the original oil return line (oil pump to oil tank)
• the two corresponding fittings (male 1/8 NPT)

I disconnected the rear chain oiler but left it in situ, capping off the supply point.

A key part of this process was to preserve provenance and authenticity should the future owner (aka, my granddaughter in around 15 years time) wish to return the bike to an original and unmodified condition.
I prepared two new oil lines from the supplied rubber hose:
• oil pump to oil cooler (inflow)
• oil cooler (outflow) to oil tank


Oil line fittings
I had to create 2 new fittings to replace what had been removed. Both new fittings replicate the necessary 90 degree turn and are composed of:
• male 6AN to 1/8 NPT straight. These screw directly into the two vacant ports (oil tank, oil pump), ready to accept the
• 6AN 90-degree push lock. These provide the ability to set the 90 degree turn precisely where it is required, ready to accept and secure (with a hose clamp) the 3/8 oil line rubber hose supplied by Jagg.

Oil line routing
The supplied 3/8 rubber hose was cut to length for the two lines and secured with hose clamps at each end (straight barb push fitting). A pair of line separators were installed, ensuring the lines were kept well clear of the header pipes. A further consideration was to ensure the lines did not foul rotation of the distributor but were still spaced sufficiently away from the rear cylinder.
Job done!

[ChinCactus]

Thanks for sharing!

[kitabel]

When you start the engine, oil from the return side will enter to bottom of the cooler, and some of it will exit through the other line and then to the tank.
???
The cooler will have an air bubble trapped in the upper section of the tube. This is why coolers are normally mounted with the exit hose on top.








gnine

[mikethebike61]

Been running a H-D labeled LockHart cooler for 44 years.....only one I'll put on a Harley

[ryder rick]

More than half of the oil pump discharge is air.
The scavenge side of the pump is more than twice the size of the feed pump,
so unless the motor is sumped it is pumping 50% or better air.
Lots of oil coolers have their inlet and outlet on the bottom.
There is no need to orient the cooler so the exit is at the top.
The cooler will always have air bubbles in it, even if it is oriented to have the outlet at the top.

Oh! Donnie's book is not a holy grail, use it as a guide of sorts, a factory service manual is a far better resource.
To be honest I recently read Donnie's book and found it to be lacking any significant additional info.
It might be written in a fashion that is easier to read, but anyone with some experience will not get much from it.
It's more of a coffee table book than a manual.
Great for a first time owner, but a couple years into Harley wrenching you will not get much from it.

[Ferrous Head]

So, you put the oil cooler on to make the trip to Lake Gairdner in March ?

(They tell me it gets hot there)

[Jeff]

Do any of you run an oil temperature gauge? If so, what make? What temperatures do you see? What temperatures do you believe to be "normal", and how hot is still "acceptable"?

[Ferrous Head]

Piemonte.

"Harry's Cafe De Wheels "?

Did you mean for your thread "HD Racing Downubder" to be in the Ironhead section ?

[kitabel]

IME if you can keep your hand on the tank for 5 seconds it's cooler than 160 degrees = no cooler needed.

Read the race car books: cooler must be bled or burped.

[mikethebike61]

Originally Posted by Jeff

Do any of you run an oil temperature gauge? If so, what make? What temperatures do you see? What temperatures do you believe to be "normal", and how hot is still "acceptable"?

Not sure how accurate the dip stick gauges were but I saw a 50 degree drop from 275 to 225 in JULY in SC....

I set out with cover on LockHart cooler and ran for 50 miles on interstate....reached down and removed cover and watch temp drop